Ads are just a fact of life in mobile apps. You can't completely avoid them, but there are some ad implementations that are so annoying that Google has explicitly disallowed them from the Play Store. Remember Airpush? The current advertising scourge is ad-infused lock screens, which have shown up in previously safe apps like ES File Explorer, Peel, and Hotspot Shield VPN. Google has finally listened to our pleading, and lock screen ads are no longer allowed in the Play Store.

Technically, the new policy is a bit more nuanced than "no ads on the lock screen." Here's the new section on Google's developer monetization page.

Lockscreen Monetization

Unless the exclusive purpose of the app is that of a lockscreen, apps may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device.

So, an app that bills itself as a photo editor, VPN, or file explorer cannot also cram a new lock screen on your device that's infested with ads. However, an app that is actually a lock screen can still monetize with ads. Presumably, you know what you're getting when you install a lock screen app.

This policy change is long overdue. It's been a few years since these ads started showing up, and it's getting pretty out of hand. I've seen a few family members and friends fall victim to these deceptive apps in just the last several months. Hopefully Google follows through and actually pulls offending apps from the Play Store.

I don't know why you're begging for this policy to apply to the Amazon Prime phones. If it does apply, then what's going to end up happening is Amazon Prime phones will be discontinued.

They are literally discounting the phones there because Amazon is in essence "buying" your lockscreen and some storage space for installing a few Amazon apps that a Prime user might install themselves anyways.

Getting apps pre-installed on these phones alone when you can easily just disable them is not worth the price to Amazon. It's a one time annoyance to you and zero potential mind-share after the setup process.

Drooblz

I believe those are system apps, but I could be wrong as I've never used one.

balcobomber25

They are and by buying the phone for a discount you agree to the lock screen ads which makes them exempt from this.

DaHui623

Are you referring to the cheap Kindles with the lockscreen ads?

Scofabear

referring to the android phones that amazon sells at a discounted price since it includes lockscreen ads

No, it doesn't considering you are agreeing to the ads so that you get a discount

Serge Cebrian

No because that app is not in the play store ;)

JG

Unless the exclusive purpose of the app is that of a lockscreen, apps may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device.

From my understanding of the above section... This ruling won't totally prohibit ads from the lock screen. It'll only prohibit apps that are primarily designed to provide some other feature from "sneaking" ads into the lock screen. So, for example, you won't get ads trying to get you to buy more lollipop boosters on your lock screen just because you have Candy Crush installed.

However, apps that are specifically designed as lock screen apps will be exempt. So while Candy/Soda/Jelly Crush the game won't be able to push ads to your lock screen, King (or whoever owns Candy Crush now) could release a Candy Crush Lockscreen app that could, if they wanted, display ads.

All Amazon would have to do, then, is publish a lock screen app that does nothing more than render ads on the lock screen (or other lock screen related tasks). They would then be free to continue to push ads to the lock screen while providing updates via the Google Play Store (if they have the app listed in Google Play in the first place).

balcobomber25

No. Amazon sells you the tablet at a discount with the agreement from you to see their ads. It's really not that bad though, on my Fire HD8 I hardly even notice them anymore, the 3 seconds it takes to unlock the tablet isn't enough to warrant me paying the extra to remove them.

Doesn't work at all with my Galaxy Note 3 (yes, I still use a 2013 phone.)

Karan Shah

so what about the apps that are already installed on user devices?

balcobomber25

They won't get updates from the play store anymore. If you want to keep using them you will have to find updates on APK sites or download an alternate app store.

zelendel

You can completely avoid ads. I know as I have a personal hatred for ads. With the proper device and setup you never have to see another ad again. All this will do is have those apps come with lockscreen add ons. To bypass this. Google should have thought that through.

aRvInD

Yes!!!!!! Finally CleanMaster to be gone! ES File explorer to be gone!! MyJio and several junk Jio apps that display sudden ads to be gone!!!

Yup that fucking thing shows ada after calls, on lock screen, sometimes when I hit home and sometimes randomly when I'm using the app.

Also what it advertises is its own services. I already have those. Why would you advertise it to me.

Anunnaki

Yes, after calls I've seen it couple of times especially when KBC was airing. But I haven't seen it showing lockscreen ads. This was coming from MyJio app which I'm no longer using.

ashjas

I don't think jio app displaying the ads as you explained will be blocked by this new policy.
But I've a non root soln for this.
Install greenify. It will force close what apps you select. So when the screen goes off,it kills the app and ensures this everytime you turn off the phone. This way, you can use the app when you want,and the ads don't bother you when you don't use the app, like after calls. I'm on mi A1 and no reason to root, so this works quite well for me. Not a single ad since.

Rohan

I uninstalled that app long ago since I can pay my bills using phonePe or there website. Plus I've setup auto payments for it now so I don't even have to touch it.

Avishek

yes they do , some times even silent video ads on there

balcobomber25

All of those will just update their apps to not have lock screen ads. They make too much money from suckers not too.

Cheetah has dozens of apps, they aren't going anywhere. Cheetah Locker (the lockscreen app) is the only one that will disappear. And it will be a temporary thing while they figure out a new way to do things.

patrik

"However, an app that is actually a lock screen can still monetize with ads. Presumably, you know what you're getting when you install a lock screen app."

balcobomber25

Most of us know, but the average person downloading apps might not.

Gen. Chang

LOL, Cheetah mobile has apps pre-installed on Samsung these days. One more reason to not buy one.

LeLwrence

Discovered the "cleaning" feature on my new S7, wasn't impressed

Android Developer

I was actually surprised to see such apps, because it doesn't make sense to put such things on top of launchers. Can only annoy. Might even be more annoying than AirPush notifications ads.
What about news apps that do it? I know of one that offers it, but it's optional : the user is supposed to enable the lock screen "feature".

Also, finally Google does a better job: instead of telling developers there shouldn't be lock screen apps, they just tell them not to bundle them with other apps.

My1

Because lockscreen apps themselves are not the problem. I have used widget locker for years now and i cant really think of a nicer solution for me. I want my lockscreen custom as hell and i like it that they just axed lockscreen ads from apps that aren't meant for the lockscreen

Android Developer

widgetLocker still works?
Thought it was abandoned...
Anyway, I was referring to the previous decision of Google, to warn a lot of apps that use accessibility service for apps that are not related to disabled people.

My1

Well dunno how it is with recent versions but on my note 4 it still works nicely.

My1

The accessibility thing is annoying true, because it is a useful shim for many things especially autofill in older android versions. Sad that Google had to go so far.

I know that accessibility can be used for a lot of stuff, but I dont remember all the crazy stuff you can do with those, autofill is just the most prominent example ever

George

Goodbye Lock Screen ads!!!
Hello Home Screen ads!!!!

aviran

A company that is based on ads is bloking apps with ads 🤔

Randroid

It's a company that is based on knowing where to put ads that doesn't completely alienate the user. Google's entire existence is based on them know where to put ads and where not to. They know that the lock screen of a phone is a place that is included in the "where not to" category.

antonio cesar

the problem isn`t the ads, its showing ads on where you were not supposed to without asking the user or telling the user it was you

destinyhud

I might have to bite this but anyone who still uses ES is just ****
no matter what ES version u r on its still ****

D’Artagnan the Deplorable

TouchPal get the axe?

Francisco Franco

Thank fuck for that.

Timmy Turner

Thank you Google, was getting tired of removing trash apps from Granny's phone that did this.

Sliquid_4_U

Excellent move. Show me ads in your app if you want/need to but the rest of the phone is mine and off limits to ads.

In fact, there are several system-wide ad blockers that work on most ad-supported apps - google is your friend. They work well on wifi internet by misleading the DNS check by the ad's location checker (can't say if / how well they work with data internet.) Also works on may browser / System Webview pages but leave large blank spaces. I've just deleted apps that show ads and have pretty much forgotten what those little box ads look like.